8.1: Introduction to Weather

The United States is a big country. With two coasts and a large land mass in between, there's a chance for every kind of weather. In the next few sections we'll visit places that have the type of weather we're interested in studying.

What is Weather?

All
weather
takes place in the atmosphere. Nearly all of it in the lower atmosphere.
Weather
refers to the conditions of the atmosphere at a given time and place.
Climate
is the average of weather over a long time.

Imagine your grandmother who lives in a distant place calls you up. She asks what your weather is like today. What would you say? Is it warm or cold? Sunny or cloudy? Calm or windy? Clear or rainy? What features of weather are important to mention?